Actor Emir Hadžihafizbegović to receive Honorary Heart of Sarajevo award

Acclaimed actor Emir Hadžihafizbegović is set to be honored with the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo award at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival. The award celebrates his substantial contributions to cinema and his unforgettable performances in Bosnian and regional film productions.

Festival Director Jovan Marjanović stated that Hadžihafizbegović's work has become an integral part of the cultural memory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region. "It is a pleasure to present the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo to an artist whose body of work has defined the cinema of the region from which he himself emerged," Marjanović said.

Hadžihafizbegović, born in Tuzla in 1961, graduated from the Sarajevo Academy of Performing Arts in 1986. Throughout his extensive career, he has amassed over 70 roles in feature films and more than 100 roles in theater, film, and other media. He has collaborated with notable directors such as Emir Kusturica, Jasmila Žbanić, and Rajko Grlić, with his films receiving accolades at international festivals including Cannes, Berlin, and Venice.

His performance in the film "Takva su pravila" earned him the Best Actor award in the Orizzonti section at the Venice International Film Festival, alongside a Golden Arena in Pula and other international recognitions. Hadžihafizbegović has also had a significant theatrical career, serving as lead actor and director of the Chamber Theatre 55 in Sarajevo. The Sarajevo Film Festival will run from August 14 to 21.

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It is a pleasure to present the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo to an artist whose body of work has defined the cinema of the region from which he himself emerged.